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December Releases

posted on 2001-09-30 22:52 EDT

A list of what you will see from American manga publishers this December.

An article has already been dedicated to Dark Horses December releases, but it should be noted that they are relisting volumes 1-11 of Lone Wolf and Cub. If you missed it the first time, its the time to catch up.

ComicsOne.COM will be releasing a number of trade paperback collections for $9.95 each.
The two the a garnering the most attention is Storm Riders #1, and Wild 7 #1.
Storm Riders is a martial arts tale of ancient China.
"Storm Riders takes you on a journey through an amazing world in ancient China where, aside from the hegemony of the Royal Government, an individual and separate society exists: . Conquer, a powerful Kung Fu master, aspires to gain control of the Association and assembles the mightiest force of fighters known to humanity. Forgetting the evil deeds he's committed in his lifetime; he takes on Wind and Cloud, two very talented and young martial artists, as his disciples. His destiny to be the Ultimate Master draws nigh; however, destiny has a will of her own and at the crux of the impending
maelstrom blow Wind and Cloud..."

Wild 7 is a famous Japanese action comic. It's a series filled with breath-taking suspense, and pure hardcore action and excitement. Wild 7 is a group of wild, speedy and uncontrollable bandits whose only means of survival is to cooperate with the Japanese government. They use unconventional methods against powerful crooks to bring justice to society. Wild 7's lively characters come to life with the use of various kinds of weapons and specially modified bikes and cars. Volume 1 introduces the origins of Wild 7's formation. Due to its popularity, Wild 7 became an animated series and a TV series."

Wounded Man #4 takes the characters to New York were they try their hands as a diamond dealer and a model.

Central Park Media (CPM) Manga will be releasing Slayers Special #1, features the hot tempered, red headed sorceress Lina, and rival, the busty Naga attempting to teach a young knight the ropes. Slayers: Super-Explosive Demon continues the first Slayers comic in a comic adventure as Lina tries a get rich quick scheme.

Astra #6 continues the manga rendition of the story by Golden Age Batman artist Jerry Robinson. This issue features the chase the ensues when Astra, the beautiful princess from the Planet Eros, brakes out of the Ministry of Science labs with her hero, Yosuke.

Geobreeders #34 features the destruction of Tokyo Tower by the Phantom Cats as they battle Kagura Security.

Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight #16 features Spark and his allies as they battle the Dark Elf.

Loddoss War: Deedlit's Tale #5 continues the more shoujo take on Lodoss War, as the elf Deedlit and knight Parn's relation gets complicates by rivals for their affection.

PRINCESS PRINCE #15 the twins Prince Matthew and Princess Laurie — who is really Prince Lawrence who
because of a curse that would befall their kingdom, has to pretend to be a girl! In this second issue in the new story arc, a strange soldier has come to their kingdom of Gemstone to seek a dragon, which was attracted to the secret power stones in Gemstone.

Ironcat will be releasing a new graphic novel collection of Vampire Princess Miyu from artist Narumi Kakinouchi and writer/director Toshihiro Hirano, comes the first volume collecting the Vampire Princess Miyu series. Follow the adventures of Miyu and her faithful companion Larva as they hunt wandering Shinma and come to terms with their place in the human realm.. Vampire Princess Miyu's follow-up Vampire Yui continues in issue 7 #5 in which Yui and Naga continue their efforts against the illusions of Shi. They will also be releasing Futaba-kun Change! continues in volume 7 #5.

TOKYOPOP will release the first issue of Wataru Yoshizumi's Marmalade Boy in December. "Miki just wants to have a normal family. Unfortunately, she's stuck with parents who thought life would be better if they divorce, swap partners with another family, then remarry and all move in together! Now Miki has four crazy parents! At least she can escape from the madness at school… or can she? Just when she thinks she's safe, Miki's new stepbrother, Yuu, transfers to her high school and with his dashing good looks, quickly captures the hearts of all the girls."

Gundam Wing Battle of the Pacifists #3 by Hajime Yatate, Koichi Tokita, & Yoshiyuki Tomino features the quiet acrobat Trowa and flamboyant Duo against the normally peace love Quatre who as been brainwashed into thinking he must eliminate the "Gundam threat". Heero and Relena must follow clues supploed by Dorothy to kind a secret factory.

Other indivual issues being released by TOKYOPOP (apparently the company's name is all caps) CLAMP's Cardcaptor Sakura issue 23 feature's Sakura's last card to catch, the deadly "Firey" card, Corrector Yui #4 with Keiko Okamoto's shoujo take on the series created by Kia Asamiya, Dragon Knights #3, a comedy swords and sorcery series, Miracle Girls #15, Saint Tail #14 with the magic girl thief by night facing of againest a curmudgeonly old astronomer refuses to let the public into his observatory to see a once in a life time comet and Skull Man #2.

Smile 4 #1, a shoujo romance anthology features the debut of Ai Yazawa's fashion romance Mars, as well as continuing Peach Girl, where Battle for Toji reaches it's conclusion as Sae's web of lies is uncovered before the school, and Paradise Kiss where Yukari is accosted on the street by a gutter-punk and a transvestite, and asked to play fashion model for their bisexual designer's newest creation.

Pocket Graphic novels by TOKYOPOP include:

Sailor Moon volume 10:
Four of the Scouts have been captured! How can Sailor Moon rescue them and their souls from Mistress 9? Help comes from an unexpected source as Hotaru fights with Mistress 9 for control of her body. But will she protect Rini and her Silver Imperium Crystal?

Saint Tail volume 3: By day, Meimi Haneoka is an ordinary student at St. Paulia's Catholic school, but by night, she pulls off fantastic heists as the Mysterious Thief Saint Tail! With the guidance of her best friend, Seira Mimori, a nun-in-training, Saint Tail steals back treasures that were unjustly taken from the innocent. All the while, she continues to avoid Asuka Jr., the young detective trying to capture her. Saint Tail has to outwit two detectives these days Lina and Asuka Jr. As she deals with a jewel in a hedgehog, damaging photos and a magic mirror in the third book of this popular magical comedy!

CLAMP's surreal Clover is the tragic story of Sue, a young girl imprisoned for her entire life because she has powers which everyone fears.

Sorcer Hunters Volume 7:Sacher's hideout becomes a battleground, as the Sorcerer Hunters fight to destroy the last of the Platina stones. Gateau and Éclair battle to death, while inside Carrot, the God of Destruction is about to awaken. Mama sends Marron, Tira, and Chocolat to calm Carrot's soul, but are they too late? Keeping Carrot in line has never been easy under the best of circumstances, but with an evil god inside him, his soul might be lost forever.

Viz Communications highest profile December release is the first 72 page issue of Bastard!!: Wizard. Influenced by swords and sworcery, and full of metal music puns, the comedy adventure features the wizard Dark Shneider against his former lieutenants who are trying to conquer the world.

Vagabound Part 1, #1 and #2 will start the tale of Tokugawa Era Japan's famous samurai Miyamoto Musashi.

The first collection of Chiho Saito's Revolutionary Girl Utena manga will be collect the firt 200 pages of the story. When she was young, Utena Tenjou fell into a roaring river only to be rescued by a mysterious man—her prince. Since that day, Utena became determined to grow up to be, not a princess, but a strong and noble prince. From veteran shôjo artist Chiho Saito comes the story of a girl with the power to not only change her life, but to revolutionize the world. In this volume, following a string of clues from her prince, Utena has entered the prestigious Ohtori Academy only to be challenged to a sword duel by the Student Council Vice President, and she wins! The prize? By winning the duel, Utena has inadvertently become engaged to Anthy Himemiya—the "Rose Bride!"

The fourth Steam Dectives trade paperback collection is described as "the up-and-coming defense lawyer Liza Fleisher is in danger when she successfully defends a corrupt Steam City business man and becomes the target of a vigilante serial murderer, Don Death! Now, as Liza's bodyguard, Narutaki must uncover the secret to Don Death's identity before he can strike the fatal blow...and the woman he's guarding may have the answer. Then, Narutaki's archrival, Boy Criminal Le Bread, shows up at the detective agency apparently having survived their
earlier encounter!"

Dragon Ball Z volume 7 features Vegeta's escape from Freeza's ship with the Dragon Balls, and the arrival of Freeza's elite Ginyu Force.

A second edition of the first 2 volumes of Mobile Suit Gundam 0079 will be re-released as the official manga adaptation of Cartoon Network's Gundam series. Until Amuro Ray's colony was attacked he was a civilian. But as the pilot of the prototype Gundam he becomes a fighter who must defend the White Base as it desperately struggles to evade advanced mobile suits and the great tactical genius of Zeon ace Char Aznable.

Aqua Knight Volume 1 will be re-released. On the remote island of Faro, not far from the World's Edge, a stormy night brings a visitor to the lighthouse keeper Arrabarus and his young son Ashika. When they find a suit of armor washed up near the shore, they open it to reveal a beautiful woman, the Aqua Knight Ruliya of Perla, far off her intended course. For saving her life, Ruliya grants young Ashika the privilege of being her squire — a mistake she will come to regret!

Six volumes of CLAMP's X 1999 will be re-releases.
Separated by death from his only family, handsome high school student Kamui Shiro returns to Tokyo, where he grew up, and rediscovers his childhood friends, brother and sister Fuma and Kotori Monou. But Kamui's homecoming leads to more than just a reunion—Kamui is inheritor to a strange destiny that could decide the fate of the entire world!

Volumes 3 through 5 of Banana Fish will be re-released. Vietnam, 1973: An American soldier goes mad and slaughters his comrades. New York, 1985: Charismatic gang leader Ash receives a mysterious drug from a dying man whose last words are "Banana Fish." Behind the seemingly unrelated acts of violence runs a conspiracy that could turn the Mafia, the U.S. government, and New York City upside down.

Volumes of 1 through 4 of Buronson & Ryoichi Ikegami's Strain will likewise be rereleased. Life in the back streets of Malaysia is cheap…and it's about to get cheaper! Assassin Mayo will kill anyone for just $5, and as a Japanese criminal syndicate starts its takeover of Asia, his services are in demand. But when Mayo takes teenage prostitute Shion under his wing, he re-evaluates the price of a human life.

Inuyasha volume 10 continues the battle against the demon Naraku. The demon slayer Sango joins the dog demon Inuyasha, and his companions. The group also learns the true origin of the Shikon Jewel.

DC Comics will be released Titans 36 with a cover by Manga artist Kia Asamiya. This issue is part of DC's "Full Coverage", a company wide event that will make all issues released accessable to those who have never read the comic before. An effort was also made to make the covers symbolize that the series is about. DC will also e re-releasing Frank Miller's ronin, the story of dishonored, masterless 13th century samurai — a ronin — reborn into the corrupt and computerized New York City of the 21st century…with one last chance for redemption. Manga fans may be familiar with Frank Miller for his work on the covers of Lone Wolf and Cub.

Marvel Comics will be releasing Elektra & Wolverine: The Redeemer #2 by Yositaka Amano and Greg Rucka, and the trade paperback collection of the manga release style inspied US War Machine..

Fantagraphic will be re-releasing volume six of Usagi Yojimbo. Volume 6 features Usagi's reunion with his sensei and attempt to end his wandering.

Peter Laird will continue Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in volume 4 #1 with Jim Lawson. "A severe winter grips New York City. And to make matters worse, a space shuttle has disappeared from Earth orbit! Suddenly, the turtles are mistaken for aliens! They're attacked by the Madhattan Maulitia. Chaos ensues!"

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